Trip Brochure PUP Costa Rica 2022
Throughout the ages from ancient indigenous sacred territories to European royal hunting grounds to contemporary community- and landscape-based parks, protected areas have evolved. When seen through a holistic-Integral lens, we spy patterns previously invisible and speculate where protected area management may go.
There is no better place than Costa Rica to explore this topic, given its diverse protected area systems and tourist-friendly culture that boasts a storied environmental conservation history.
We visit protected areas where PUP has worked to learn about its Integral approach to protected area management and how it follows other historic forms of management. Guided by trip leader and PUP executive director Jon Kohl, participants will join protected area experts and PUP’s board of directors to see an insider’s view of conservation and management as we sample Costa Rica’s diverse lowland rainforest, volcanos, and cloud forest.
Along the way you will not only encounter Costa Rica’s nature and world-class ecotourism, but participate in brief interpretive-provocative conversations that will reveal new ways to understand protected areas in a fast changing world.
Immediately after the tour, some of us will participate in the IASNR conference just outside San José.
Where We Go
19 June. Tirimbina
Our bus picks us up at a hotel near the airport and whisks us to Tirimbina Biological Reserve, a non-profit reserve with extraordinary ecotourism that supports its conservation. Here PUP member and director of environmental education and interpretation guides us through its trails. After lunch we experience Tirimbina’s famous chocolate tour. At night we talk about PUP’s foreign study proposal the history of protected area management.
20 June. Mistico Park
After breakfast we drive to La Fortuna, passing through the shadow of Arenal Volcano. We take a guided walk along Mistico Park’s hanging bridges, have lunch facing the mountainous dome, and then enjoy a personal tour of Wellness Park. In the evening, we stay at a quality hotel for dinner and hear the second illustrated talk on the history of protected areas and how PUP will use Costa Rican sites to demonstrate their evolution.
21 June. La Fortuna
Today is a free day for participants who can go hiking in Arenal National Park, ziplining, boating in the lake, relax in volcanic hot springs, horseback riding, or walk around town. So much to do in Costa Rica's adventure tourism heart.
22 June. Monteverde
We travel to the Monteverde Cloud Forest lodge, meet the park director, and enjoy an engaging presentation of our park zoning project that demonstrates quality interpretation which we compare with other guided hikes so far. We have a guided night hike thereafter.
23 June. San José
After breakfast we return to San José and reflect upon our experience and prepare for the IASNR conference. For PUP members only, on June 24-26 we will have working meetings near San José.
Official brochure
About PUP
The PUP Global Heritage Consortium is a 501(c)3 tax-deductible non-profit whose mission is to support communities in the protection and management of natural and cultural heritage through our action learning network and evolving Integral tools and approaches. It has offices in the USA, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Colombia. Visit www.pupconsortium.net.
Jon Kohl, Trip Leader
Jon is founding director of the PUP Consortium. Since 1997 he and PUP have a long history in innovating holistic approaches to heritage planning, visitor or public use management in protected areas, and heritage interpretation in particular. He co-authored with Dr. Stephen McCool PUP’s foundational book that applies Integral Theory to heritage planning. He has many years of experience in heritage interpretation and tourism management in protected areas as well as being a writer on these topics (see his ResearchGate profile). He is also a dual citizen in the US and Costa Rica where he lives with his family near the conference site.
International Association for Society and Natural Resources 2022 Conference
San José, Costa Rica June 26-30
Because of PUP’s panel participation in the conference, it offers this trip as an unofficial learning complement. This conference, with a cross-disiciplinary integration theme, presents cutting-edge research and engaging productive discussion focused on the sustainable management of natural and cultural resources. See conference page.
Trip Brochure PUP Costa Rica 2022
